"Hey, sleepyhead. It's time to get up."

Amadeo turns over in his bedroll with a groan. There's a giggle and a gentle nudge. "Come on. You're not gonna spend all day in bed now, are you, dear?"

His eyes slowly open, taking in the hazy sight of a familiar face framed by morning light. A human woman in her mid-thirties with shining hazel eyes and milk chocolate hair tied in a side plait unbound by coif or bonnet. Though her face contains a few wrinkles here and there, she maintains a youthful joviality. "Hello, dear."

He eyes this woman with a soft grin, sitting up and pulling her into his arms. "Hello, Mom. It's been too long."

Ruby Ravenwood pats his back softly and sits up. "Aye, that it has. Weeks since last we spoke." She looks him over, peering deep into his gaze. "And already, your eyes have hardened. My poor boy."

"Yes, I suppose they have. Yours haven't changed though. They're still just as I remember them...You do have another wrinkle."

She laughs and slugs him in the shoulder. "And you've grown a mouth! Now come, your friends are waiting downstairs. Yuri has prepared quite the little breakfast for you all."

The two of them head downstairs, entering the foyer to find the party seated around the table, now extended by several feet and moved to the center of the room. Silver platters sit atop it, layered with meats, eggs, flapjacks and pitchers of water, hot coffee, and juice.

Yuri looks up from his seat and gestures for them to sit. "Good morning. It sounds from the way your friends explained it that you had quite the little adventure so far. Axebeaks. Dark elves. Wisps, which I commend you for standing your ground against." Amadeo turns a little red at that statement. "A killer shark? Outright bandits and wolves, and an oathbreaker? You've done quite well for yourself. Though I admit, fighting a legendary champion is quite foolish, moreso if it's Sir Hamund Dane, The Lion of Goldcrest."

"It was, but we didn't have much choice. Not that it helped, we barely scratched him, and he gave us quite a thrashing." Amadeo pulls a chair out for his mother and sits beside her. "And then you tack on those who lost their lives...I sometimes feel like we should have fought the undead rather than Dane."

"You made your choice. Now you can make other choices with more care." Yuri sits back, taking a long drink from his cup. "Emotion sways us often in the moment to do one thing, and in the aftermath to do something else. Your friend chose to face her demons, and you were there to help. When next you meet this Dane, perhaps you'll be strong enough to do better."

"It's funny you say that. These past few days, I've been thinking about it, replaying everything in my head. There was something off with the way he fought." Hope folds her arms, eyes close.

"What do you mean, Red?" Tyrion stuffs a piece of bacon into his mouth as the devilkin sighs.

"If he really went all out, he could have crushed us in seconds. But he held back. He wasn't using his full might. Every swing hurt like hell, but he wasn't striking like he legitimately wanted to kill us...I dunno, maybe I'm overthinking it."

"Maybe he wants to be challenged before he strikes you down." Amadeo posits. "Maybe he's one of those weirdos who enjoys the rush of facing death, or he was making us waste time while the dead gathered the souls he needed."

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"Maybe you need to get some food in your stomach." Ruby sips her coffee and sighs. "Honestly, I'm just grateful you're home safe and sound. Your father is quite ecstatic to see you after Yuri sent us a message that you came back. Kira too." The hazel-eyed woman grins.

Hope digs into her plate, looking toward the window where sunlight floods in to fill the room with a warm glow. "Is it still foggy outside?"

"It's always foggy. It hasn't cleared even for a moment in all the years we've lived here." Ruby sits calmly, hands in her lap as she eyes each of the party members. Like with others before, she looks at Hope and Anna a bit longer, but a smile tugs at the edge of her lips. "So I didn't get to hear all about your friends, dear."

"Oh, sorry. I assumed you met them before you came upstairs. This is Tyrion, our resident ranged and criminal expert." Amadeo gestures to the halfling, who grins and bows his head.

"Don't blow the gaff, lad. Tyrion Summerwind at your service, Madam Ravenwood.

"Oh, please, just Ruby will do." She giggles, turning to Hope. "And you, sweetheart?"

"Hope of Loheim, our shield-" Amadeo begins.

"-and survivalist. Pleasure to meet you, Ruby." Hope extends a hand, and Ruby reaches over to shake it with a smile. "The pleasure's all mine, dear. And what about you, my dear?" Those hazel eyes lock on the brilliant sapphires of the dark elf, who stops midway through lifting a forkful of egg.

"Uhh, hi. I'm Anna...I can do this!" She flicks a bit of phosphorous into the air, four glowing lights popping into the space above their heads.

"You have another weaver in your party! Watch she doesn't outshine you!" Ruby claps her hands for Anna's little trick, sending the elf into a fit of giggles as she goes back to eating.

"Oh, we all have our times to shine." Amadeo sets his plate down and turns to Ruby. "But first, I need to ask. How's Dad after the attack?"

Ruby shakes her head. "Soren's fine. He's a stubborn old man, bless him. He did take quite a beating, though. He can't stand properly till his legs heal, and he's getting up there. Nearly fifty, your dad is. It's your sister who worries me most."

"Kira? What happened? Is she alright?" Amadeo's nostrils flare and he rises, but Ruby takes his arm.

"Hush now. She's alright, just a little scared. She's still a child at heart, even if she's got the stones to skewer a man with a pitchfork."

"A pitchfork? Kira? I can't imagine her attacking someone." Amadeo raises an impressed eyebrow.

"That's cause you've never seen your father beaten in front of her. She's a tough little woman."

"Did she kill the man?" Tyrion pipes up, chewing on a bit of sausage and egg.

"Gods, no. She got him in the leg, though. Said it was payback. But there were alot of those punks, and they're bound to show back up again, maybe with weapons, maybe with reinforcements."

"Have you tried going to the mayor for help?" Hope chimes in, sipping her coffee.

"The mayor? Bah! The elders of this village can barely get off their rumps to scratch themselves. They won't step in for an 'altercation' between farmers." Ruby snorts and spits, then covers her mouth and looks toward their host. "Apologies, Yuri dear."

"Not at all." Yuri flicks a finger, the yellow blob of saliva and phlegm disappearing from the floor where it landed. "I sent Maggie to track them down on a hunch. The punks went their separate ways. Only one went to Nelos Ondra's home, and she lost track of them soon after."

"Bad enough we have ghosts to worry about without people wanting to trouble us too." Ruby sighs, rubbing her temples.

"Don't worry about it, ma'am. We'll do everything in our power to help." Hope stands, hesitantly reaching out and gripping the hilt of Valkyrie before sighing, setting it in the makeshift holster of leather straps on her back. "Maybe we can solve both issues."

"Now we're talking! I'm lookin forward to bustin` some heads!" Tyrion grins, hopping up from his seat.

Anna rises as well with a grin. "After last night, I'm ready to take on just about anybody!"

Ruby smiles softly and shakes her head. "You've got quite the motley crew, Amadeo dear."

"Yeah, they're a bunch of goofs. But you put them in a fight, and they can prove scarily competent." Amadeo chuckles. "I think our first stop is to check on Dad, maybe see if there's a way we can stop another fight before it breaks out. Maybe we can reason with Mister Ondra."

"You can certainly try, but I doubt it'll change anything. They said they'd be back tonight, so if you want to give it a shot, you don't have long." Ruby folds her arms, and Amadeo wags a finger at her.

"You'd be surprised how persuasive my friends can be. Remind me to tell you about this little shopkeep named Beejnak."